The signal in the noise

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) reported 4,434 severe occupational staffing shortages in FY2025—up 50% from FY2024. That’s not just a number; it’s thousands of hard-to-fill roles across clinical disciplines and geographies, many in facilities serving rural veterans. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG

At the same time, VA is shrinking headcount as part of system-wide belt tightening—nearly 30,000 fewer employees expected by Sept. 30, 2025—which intensifies the need for flexible coverage models. VA News The applicant pipeline is also thinner: applications to VA jobs fell ~45% year over year, with 56% fewer new hires—a double squeeze on supply. Federal News Network

Why locum tenens is mission-critical now

• Continuity of care during attrition: Locums stabilize access when departments lose FTEs or recruitment stalls. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG
• Speed to deploy in rural facilities: Credentialed physicians, APPs, and allied pros can be mobilized to sites with recurring shortages or seasonal surges. Department of Veterans Affairs OIG
• Budget flexibility: Short-term coverage while permanent recruiting continues prevents costly service interruptions and avoids long vacancy tails. (Trendlines from national surveys show growing reliance on locums to bridge gaps.) AMN Healthcare+1

Compliance & contracting, simplified

For VA buyers and vendors, the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) 621 I/621 II remains a key path for professional and allied healthcare staffing. Understanding the schedule scope and pricing foundations shortens procurement cycles and helps facilities engage coverage faster. Veterans Affairs

How MD Staffing closes the gap

• Rapid deployment: Pre-vetted, credentialed providers ready for 13-week+ rotations or short-blocks.
• Rural reach: Strong pipeline for critical access hospitals and CBOCs.
• Quality + compliance: VHA-aligned onboarding and privileging to minimize lead times.

Bottom line: With shortages rising and hiring slowing, partnering with a locum tenens firm that understands VA workflows is the fastest path to keep clinics open and wait times down. Department of Veterans Affairs OIGFederal News Network

Two big shifts to track

1. CMMC 2.0 is moving from talk to terms. DoD says CMMC assessment requirements will phase in over ~three years once the final acquisition rule is published, with implementation beginning 60 days after that publication. Multiple expert briefings indicate requirements start entering solicitations in late 2025 and scale through 2028. dodcio.defense.govCohnReznickUSFCR Blog
2. TRICARE T-5 launched Jan. 1, 2025. The new regional contracts modernize network management and administrative support—changes that cascade to staffing partners serving MTFs and community care networks. TRICARE Newsroom

What this means for staffing partners

• Bids will ask for proof of cybersecurity maturity. Expect RFIs/RFPs to reference CMMC clauses and require self-assessments or third-party assessments over time. Build NIST 800-171 controls into your posture now to avoid bid disqualification later. dodcio.defense.gov
• DHA consolidation = fewer, larger vehicles. The agency awarded positions on a 10-year, $43B vehicle for medical staffing support—an indicator of scale and performance expectations. Washington Technology

A practical readiness checklist

• Map data flows: Identify where you hold Federal Contract Information (FCI) or Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Limit CUI exposure. (Supports CMMC scoping.) dodcio.defense.gov
• Document controls: Multi-factor authentication, access management, incident response, logging, and vendor oversight aligned to CMMC level needs. dodcio.defense.gov
• Prime/sub alignment: Ensure subs carrying sensitive data maintain equivalent controls; flow down clauses early. dodcio.defense.gov
• Contract awareness: Stay current with DHA long-range acquisition forecasts and contract expirations to time teaming and proposal prep. DHA

Bottom line: Cyber maturity is now a competitive differentiator in military-health staffing, and T-5 changes will reward vendors that integrate compliant tech, rapid credentialing, and strong network relationships. dodcio.defense.govTRICARE Newsroom

The landscape

Policymakers flagged persistent workforce shortages across IHS and Urban Indian Organizations in 2025, warning that staffing cuts or delays risk disrupting essential services in remote communities. NCUIH+1 Historical GAO data show provider vacancy rates around 25–29% across IHS service areas, a problem experts say has likely worsened without sustained investment and pipeline growth. MerkleyAmerican Medical Association

Beyond clinical roles, administrative and engineering vacancies hinder facility operations—everything from sanitation projects to HR/IT support—which further complicates clinical delivery. Office of Inspector General+1

Where locum tenens fits

• Bridge to permanency: Locums keep clinics staffed while communities recruit long-term providers.
• Rural + frontier agility: Short blocks, longer rotations, and repeat assignments build continuity without waiting months for a full-time hire.
• Behavioral health support: Flexible psychiatric coverage, SUD, and tele-behavioral assignments can relieve acute backlogs. (Demand signal remains high across rural systems.) GAO Files

Practical steps for Tribal and IHS partners

1. Plan 90–180 days ahead for high-season vacancy windows; pre-book critical specialties.
2. Use telehealth to extend reach for follow-ups and consults where licensure/privileging permits.
3. Co-design rotations that support community continuity—e.g., recurring providers each quarter.
4. Engage culturally informed clinicians and offer community-orientation time to improve retention odds.

Bottom line: In 2025, locums are not a stopgap—they’re a stability strategy for Tribal health systems facing structural vacancy and funding uncertainty. NCUIH+1

The demand drivers

• Enduring physician shortage: AAMC projects a deficit of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, keeping recruitment competitive and elevating the role of flexible staffing. AAMC+2AAMC+2
• Mainstream adoption of locums: Industry surveys and outlooks show near-universal hospital use of locum physicians and steady 2025 growth expectations—roughly low-single-digit to 10%—as systems rebalance access and cost. AMN HealthcareLocumpedia
• Credentialing & admin friction remain real: Organizations report credentialing and multi-provider management as top pain points—reasons many are centralizing locum operations. chghealthcare.com

2026 playbook for government facilities

• Lock in multi-quarter coverage: Structure BPAs or task orders that secure rotating coverage across peak periods instead of one-off fills. (VA buyers can leverage FSS 621 schedules for speed.) Veterans Affairs
• Blend locums + perm strategically: Use locums to protect access while you recruit—and to test specialty mix before committing to permanent FTEs. AMN Healthcare
• Target hard-to-staff specialties early: Oncology, anesthesia, psych, and select surgical subspecialties continue to top demand lists heading into 2026. CompHealth
• Measure continuity, not just fill rate: Track repeat-provider assignments, handoff quality, and visit backlog reduction as core KPIs.

Bottom line: With shortages persisting, the winners in 2026 will be facilities and agencies that plan multi-quarter coverage, centralize credentialing, and build specialty-specific pipelines—especially for rural and high-acuity sites. AAMCchghealthcare.com